The new cabinet wants to open Lelystad airport to holiday flights, but experts have serious doubts about whether it will be granted an environmental licence, news website Nu.nl reported on Monday.
Previous administrations have invested €243 million in preparing Lelystad for commercial operations, but the airport still needs an official permit because of the impact on the surrounding countryside.
The Schiphol group, the state-owned owner of Lelystad airport, is preparing to launch commercial flights from 2027, but experts question whether that timetable is feasible.
Nitrogen emissions are expected to rise within a 25-kilometre radius of the airport and nearby nature reserves are already in poor condition due to high nitrogen levels that first need to be addressed, environmental policy professor Raoul Beunen told Nu.nl.
Lelystad is currently used by private aircraft and a flying school. Many charter airlines have also expressed resistance to being relocated to Lelystad airport, which lacks a direct link to Schiphol and has no train station.
The airport is also set to become a base for F-35 fighter jets, a plan that is likely to proceed on national security grounds.
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.
We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.
Make a donation
